February New Book Releases

Opening Belle by Maureen Sherry – February 2, 2016. This book sounds really good (and reminds me of Erin Duffy’s novel, Bond Girl (2012)). And guess what? Reese Witherspoon’s production company just optioned the book for a movie! The author is a former Wall Street insider who didn’t sign a non-disclosure agreement when she left her job. In other words, there’s some good dirt in this book. Belle is a Wall Street trader whose 2007 year-end bonus topped $3 million dollars. Belle’s story opens in 2008, with her feeling pressured and frustrated. Chauvinism is alive and well on Wall Street – the female traders are not paid or treated equally as their male counterparts. The women in Belle’s office create a “secret society,” to work together to find a way to mellow their office’s cowboy culture. Belle’s home life’s a mess too, with a husband who refuses to work and doesn’t respect how hard his wife works to afford their family’s life style. Then Belle’s college fiancé shows up in her office, leading her to question what might have been. The book is fun, despite the darkness of the historical 2008 Wall Street crash. And kudos to the author, who manages to describe the market conditions in a way the reader can easily understand.

I’ll See You in Paris by Michele Gable – February 9, 2016. This novel is actually based on the real life of Gladys Spencer-Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough. Annie is a newly engaged woman who returns to the English countryside to help her mother, who’s in the middle of selling her home. While there, Gladys becomes engrossed in a book about the Duchess and is surprised to learn she once lived in the home her mother’s now selling. With the realization that she may have a vested personal interest in Gladys’s story, Annie heads to Paris to solve the mystery of the Duchess’s life. The author mixes fact and fiction to create a romantic and entertaining tale about family treasures and lost love.

The Ramblers by Aidan Donnelley Rowley – February 9, 2016. This story takes place in New York City, over the course of Thanksgiving week. Clio Marsh is an ornithologist who’s having reservations about her relationship with a dashing hotel magnate, Henry Kildare. Clio hasn’t been honest with Henry about her past, and his desire to make a commitment causes her anxiety. Clio has secrets she hasn’t shared with anyone but her best friend, Smith Anderson. Smith has her own troubles. She’s struggling to mend her broken heart – all while helping to plan her little sister’s extravagant wedding. The week before the wedding, Smith bumps into an old college friend, Tata Pennington, who proves to be an elixir for her aching heart. Problem is, Tate is also a bit lost. He’s recently moved back to New York, after selling his company and separating from his wife. Attending a big society wedding may not be a good idea for any of these characters.

Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body by Kate Hudson – February 16, 2016. Okay, so not exactly Chick Lit, but I can’t think of another actress who epitomizes being a chick more. I adore Kate Hudson and am very curious to see what she what she has to share about living a healthy and balanced life. According to book promotional notes, her philosophy is, “Living healthfully is about simplicity, accessibility, positivity and throwing the idea of ‘perfection’ out the window.”

Nookietown by V.C. Chickering – February 23, 2016. Okay, this one is wild. Lucy is a divorced 40 year old woman who’s lonely and desperate to “get a little action.” Her friend Nancy is married, and tired of having sex with her husband. So she begs Lucy to sleep with her husband. Say what? Yes, you read that right. And Lucy does, in exchange for “favors” (because money would be too weird). And it puts some much needed life back into Nancy’ marriage. Nancy realizes there could be a business in all of this. She creates a list of all her divorced girlfriends, and in exchange for “favors,” they’ll sleep with the husbands of women who are sick of putting out – with the wife’s consent, of course. I can’t imagine this is going to end well.